Jaw for vehicle jack

Abstract

 A jaw for vehicle-raising jacks, specially designed so as to situate the jaw (9) in the ideal position to receive the edge of the vehicle body and, in one variant, to take in a recess in the said edge in order to prevent unwanted movement of the jack. The jaw includes areas to receive the thickness of the jack arm through pressure, in such a way that the jaw pivots on the said arm. In one case the jaw is provided with two pairs of external projections (12, 13), which position the jaw when it makes contact, on folding, with the edge of the other arm of the jack. In another case, this positioning is carried out by means of a U-shaped spring (27), housed in the jaw, which clasps the exterior of the corresponding arm and drives the portion that receives the edge of the vehicle to the correct position. The jaw is provided with an independent U-shaped part, which is housed in its interior, so as to be inserted into openings in the edge of the vehicle body.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to a jaw for jacks used to raise vehicles, for instance of the type known as Y-jacks, which are made up of two support members or arms. One arm is provided with a foot at one end for siting on the ground and connected to a screw spindle at the other end, while the other arm pivots on the first, receives the end of the screw spindle in its central section and is equipped with a jaw for the lower edge of the vehicle body. The end of the screw spindle that protrudes from the first support member or arm is connected to a winding handle, which operates the whole unit when it is turned in one direction or the other, so that the end of the second arm is raised or lowered, together with the edge of the vehicle body housed in the jaw.

[0002] In vehicle jacks of this type, there are jaws which are fixed to the corresponding arm which supports them and others that turn on the thickness of the sides of the U-shape of the said arm when it is raised or lowered by the effect of the turning action of the screw spindle. In this latter case, the jaw is provided with stops that limit its turning in the extreme positions of the jack.

[0003] In some cases, the edge of the vehicle body is equipped with slots or holes, into which a fixed lug on the jack is housed in order to prevent the top of the jack from moving when the vehicle is being raised. This lug is usually inserted into the said slot in the vehicle body prior to raising, thus obliging the used to perform this operation, which is an inconvenience.

[0004] In these jaws that turn on the support member or arm of the jack, there are some which are metallic and usually have two pairs of specially-shaped lugs at their longitudinal ends, which make contact, when the jack is folded, with the edges of the U-shaped wings of the other support member, so that they situate the jaw in the exact position for it to receive the edge of the vehicle body when the jack begins its working movement. As stated previously, these pairs of lugs are usually made with a special shape, making it necessary to perform special machining operations in order to make the jaw.

[0005] Other jaws are also known which turn on the support member on which they are included, so as to be suitably positioned in relation to the vehicle body at the start of movements. The turning of these jaws is not carried out on a longitudinal axis, but on one end of the jaw itself, so that all the jaw is raised over the said end, becoming separated from the jack support member in order to adopt the initial position required.

[0006] The great disadvantage and inconvenience of jaws of this type is that, in order to provide the turning and consequent raising of the jaw, they use a complicated mechanism housed inside the support member or arm itself, based on a rod fixed to the arm, surrounded by a helicoidal spring which operates on one end of the jaw.

[0007] It is an object of this invention to provide a jaw for vehicle jacks of the type that pivot on the support member or arm on which they are placed, which by itself is empowered to connect into the slot in the edge of the vehicle body when raising of the vehicle begins.

[0008] Another object of this invention is to provide a jaw, made of plastic material, which is easily positioned in the corresponding arm and is limited in its turning.

[0009] Another object of this invention is to provide a jaw for jacks which turns on the arm, either on its own longitudinal axis or on one end of the jaw itself, being raised in relation to the arm, so that in a very simple and economical way it is always presented in a suitable position to receive the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0010] In order to put the above defined objects into practice, this invention presents a generally cylindrically-shaped part, made of plastic material, which is provided with a U-shaped longitudinal recess to receive the lower edge of the vehicle body. One of the edges or wings of this part is not very thick, so that it can flex to allow the jaw to be inserted into the arm of the jack. The other edge or wing is thicker and is suitably reinforced with projections.

[0011] The part includes two transverse annular slots cut into its exterior, in which the thicknesses of the two wings of the jack support member or arm are received, so that the jaw can turn during the ascending and descending movements of the jack.

[0012] The frontal longitudinal ends of the part are each provided with pairs or protruding lugs, specially made so that when the jack is folded, these lugs make contact with the edges of the wings of the other arm of the jack, making the jaw turn towards a position, always the same, which corresponds to the position suitable for the lower edge of the vehicle body, without any type of prior external operation, to become housed in the recess in the part.

[0013] During operation of the jack, the jaw turns on the arm on which it is arranged, so that when the working operations of the jack have finished, it is more than probable that the jaw is in a position that does not correspond with that desired in order to receive the lower edge of the vehicle body. This would make it necessary to turn the jaw in order to situate it in position.

[0014] These operations are avoided, inasmuch as by previously studying the position of the pairs of protruding lugs, it can be made to coincide with the exact position of the jaw, so that this jaw receives, without the assistance of any operation whatsoever, the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0015] The jaw is also provided with an upwardly open central portion arranged between its turning slots. This central portion is established by connecting the ends of the jaw by means of a rib arranged on one side, a shaft on the other side and a base, with all these being longitudinal and essentially parallel. The rib and the shaft are located at mid-height of the jaw and, logically, are separated from each other a distance equivalent to the width of the prolongation of the recess in the jaw.

[0016] From one of the ends of the said base, on the same side as the shaft, protrudes an upwardly inclined free rib, which at its highest point reaches the theoretical gap in the longitudinal recess. This rib is capable of flexing on the base from which it protrudes.

[0017] In the central portion which is thus formed, a U-shaped part is received, independent of the jaw but connected to it by means of its incorporation onto the central shaft, with its internal base being provided with a diameter equal to that of the said central axis.

[0018] This U-shaped part, therefore, remains clasped to the shaft so that its shorter arm is supported on the rib in the central base of the jaw, whereas its longer arm manages to just reach the theoretical central gap corresponding to the longitudinal recess.

[0019] The U-shaped part is capable of turning on the central shaft to which it is clasped, as will be explained later, and it is provided with two approximately triangular-shaped ledges. One of these ledges is made in the interior of the longer arm, and the other in the exterior of the shorter arm, just at the start of the curve in the base of the part. These two triangular ledges are narrower than the width of the part.

[0020] The ledge on the shorter arm rests on the rib from the base and the one on the longer arm is clip-housed into a gap in the central shaft in order to prevent it from falling. This gap takes up a part of the said shaft and occupies an angular space greater than 90 degrees in the shaft.

[0021] In this way, it is possible for the U-shaped part to turn in an anticlockwise direction on the shaft, whereas it is impossible for it to turn in a clockwise direction due to the contact of the triangular ledge on its shorter arm with the rib that protrudes from the base.

[0022] On the other hand, the turning in the anticlockwise direction is limited by the angle of the recess in the central shaft, given that the triangular ledge on the longer arm of the U-shaped part moves in the said recess, as described previously.

[0023] When the recess in the jaw, and more precisely the two recesses on both sides of its central portion, receive the lower edge of the vehicle body provided with the slot, this lower edge affects the shorter arm of the U-shaped part, making it turn on the centre shaft and with it obliging the rib from the base to flex or bend. Thanks to this turning, the longer arm also turns and, in turning, becomes housed in the slot in the lower edge of the vehicle body, remaining in the said slot while the jack is raised or lowered.

[0024] The turning in question is, as mentioned previously, limited by the angular recess in the centre shaft, but is of sufficient importance to allow the longer arm of the U-shaped part to become inserted into the slot and even to pass through it thanks to the central hollow that the jaw is provided with.

[0025] When the operations with the jack have finished and the jack has been extracted, the lower edge of the vehicle body comes out of the recesses in the jaw and turns the U-shaped part in a clockwise direction, returning the rib that protrudes from the base to its original position, and the U-shaped part also to its initial position, arranged and prepared for a new operation.

[0026] In the case of the other variant of the invention, according to which the entire jaw turns on one of its own ends, separating itself from the edges of the two wings of the arm where it is situated, a longitudinal part is presented, also made of plastic material, which becomes positioned in recesses and projections made in the two opposite sides of the support member or arm of the jack.

[0027] The recesses and projections in the arms will be responsible for receiving the jaw when the jack is being used, and the projections will in turn be used as support areas to allow the jaw to perform its turning.

[0028] These projections and recesses will usually be rounded, and the projections might even be provided with internal necks, which facilitate the clipping of the jaw and its later turning.

[0029] If these necks exist, they will adopt a circular shape, in harmony with a portion of the jaw.

[0030] In these conditions, the jaw consists of a longitudinal part, with a flat upper part and with two rounded ends made on its lower side for fitting together with the projections on the arms, and another part adjacent to it, with an upwardly open U-shape, which occupies the whole length of the jaw, by whose exterior this jaw is supported on the recesses in the arms of the jack.

[0031] The jaw is provided with transversal ribs which ensure that the assembly is strong enough, for instance one central and two side ribs.

[0032] The two rounded lower ends of the jaw are situated a short distance from two downward lugs, responsible for maintaining the connection between the jaw and the arm. These lugs are also provided with projections directed towards the said rounded ends.

[0033] The separation between the recesses and the lugs will correspond to the thickness of the arms of the jack, so as to take in these arms. If the projections on the arms of the jack are provided with facing necks, the projections on the lugs will be taken in below these said necks. On the contrary, if the projections on the arms of the jack are flat and are provided with facing recesses, the projections on the lugs will become housed in these said recesses. In any case, these particulars will be explained and appreciated more clearly later, in connection with the corresponding drawings.

[0034] In this way, the jaw is arranged on the wings of the support member or arm of the jack, so that it can turn on the said wings.

[0035] In this case, the invention contemplates the provision of a generally U-shaped spring, whose base is flat and whose wings are adapted to the cross-section of the jaw.

[0036] The spring is housed in the interior of the jaw, so that the flat base goes outside the front end of the arm of the jack and the wings of the jack conform to the shape, not only of the jaw but also of the recesses and projections on the wings of the arm of the jack, being received also in the interior of the jaw and travelling along the exterior of the wings on the arm of the jack.

[0037] The recesses in the jaw that receive the projections on the arm are situated a certain distance from the sideends of the jaw, so that spaces are created between the said recesses and said ends to allow the wings of the spring to move. These spaces are adapted to the shape of the said wings in order to keep them controlled, a task which is helped by a series of housings made below the lower outer portion of the seating area (sill) of the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0038] In this situation, the action of the spring is such that it acts to force the jaw to move away from the edge of the wings of the arm of the jack, turning on the projections of the said arm, with this position corresponding to the precise specific position that provides the direct fitting of the lower edge of the vehicle body into the jaw.

[0039] All these and other details of the invention will be appreciated in greater detail by reference to the two sheets of drawings which are attached hereto and in which, merely for purposes of guidance, the following are represented:

• Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a jack in which the object of the invention can be included.
• Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a jaw, according to the invention.
• Figure 3 is view of Figure 2, as seen from the left.
• Figure 4 corresponds to a cross-sectional view on line I-I of Figure 3, also showing the lower edge of the vehicle body as insertion into the jaw begins.
• Figure 5 is a top view of Figure 2.
• Figure 6 is an elevation of the U-shaped part for engaging on the lower edge of the vehicle body.
• Figure 7 is top view of Figure 6.
• Figure 8 is a is a cross-sectional view of the centre shaft for the jaw shown in Figure 4.
• Figure 9 represents the way in which the jaw makes contact with the edges of the other arm of the jack during folding.
• Figure 10 shows the end area of a support member or arm of a jack, ready to receive the second version of the jaw.
• Figure 11 is a cross-sectional side elevational view of the jaw to be applied in the case shown in Figure 10.
• Figure 12 corresponds to the cross-sectional view on line III-III of Figure 11, together with the representation of the complete cross-section of the arm, as taken on line II-II of Figure 10.
• Figure 13 is a top view of the jaw, corresponding to the view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 11.
• Figure 14, finally, represents the position of the jaw when it is not receiving the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0040] Referring now to Figure 1, we can appreciate a vehicle jack of the kind known as Y-jacks, with a first support member or arm (1) that receives a support foot (5) on the ground and has a screw spindle (3) running through it and turning at one end inside a suitable element, when it is operated by means of the winding handle (4). The other support member or arm (2) receives the end of the screw spindle and has a pivoting axis on the first support member or arm (1), so that its free end rises or falls according to the turning direction of the winding handle (4) that operates the screw spindle (3). The said free end includes a jaw (9) which is responsible for receiving the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0041] According to Figures 2, 3 and 5, the jaw according to the invention (8) is established with a generally circular shape, with a longitudinal recess (6) responsible for receiving the lower edge of the vehicle body. In this case, the said recess is separated into two ends, due to the central gap (14), which can be appreciated in Figure 3.

[0042] The recess (6) determines two edges (7) and (10). The former edges (7) are thinner in order to facilitate the insertion of the jaw in the two wings of the corresponding arm of the jack by means of flexing of these said edges, whereas the latter edges (10) are thicker and are reinforced by the projections made on them.

[0043] The jaw (8) has annular slots (15) close to its ends, thick enough to allow the wings on the arm (2) of the jack to fit into them, and the projections on the edges (10) are made in these slots.

[0044] The free ends of the jaw include the projecting lugs (12, 13), responsible for suitably positioning the jaw in the folded position of the jack, as will be pointed out later in connection with Figure 9.

[0045] As regards Figure 4, we can appreciate the open central area or gap (14) that joins the ends of the jaw, through the central rib (21), the central shaft (23) and the base (24). The inclined rib (11) protrudes upwards from this base and towards the gap (6). On this rib (11), surrounding the shaft (23) is situated the part (20) with arms of unequal lengths, responsible for inserting itself into the slot (25) in the lower edge of the vehicle body (24), when this edge (24) is received, as indicated by (M), in the recesses (6) in the jaw.

[0046] Figure 4 shows how the edge (24) makes contact with the shorter arm of the part (20) in such a way that this part turns on the shaft (23), making the rib (11) flex and how, thanks to this turning movement, the longer arm of the part (20) becomes housed in the slot (25) in the lower edge of the vehicle body (24).

[0047] The part (20) illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 is provided with two triangular ledges, one of which (18) is on the longer arm (16), while the other (19) is on the shorter one (17). The ledge (18) becomes housed by clicking into the hollow (22) in the shaft (23) (Fig. 8), so that it does not come out from its working position, while the ledge (19) rests on the rib (11) from the base, thus increasing the support surface of the wing (17) on the said rib.

[0048] When the lower edge of the vehicle body (24) extracts itself extracted, once the jack has been used, the rib (11) obliges the part (20) to turn in the opposite direction, returning to the position illustrated in Figure 4.

[0049] With regard to Figure 9, we can see the action of the lugs (12, 13) of the jaw in relation to the edges (25') of the arm (1) of the jack. When one of the lugs, in this case one lug (12) makes contact with the edges (25') when the jack is being folded according to the position (M'), turning of the jaw takes place, until the other lug (13) also makes contact with the edges (25'), situating the jaw in a suitable position to receive, in another rear position, the lower edge (24) of the vehicle body.

[0050] For the other variant of the invention, the corresponding arms (2) of the jack are conditioned as shown in Figure 10, by providing the said arms with recesses and projections (26) in the corresponding sides in order to receive the jaw in the usual way. In the case represented in this Figure 10, a ledge or flange (32) is shown on the interior of the arms (2), in which we wish to point out on this matter, as will be explained more fully later, that the ledges or flanges (32) need not necessarily exist, being replaced by recesses or gaps made in the projections on the said arms.

[0051] With reference to Figure 11, it is possible to appreciate how the jaw (28) is provided with portions (30) close to each of its ends, which are rounded so as to adapt themselves to the profile of the projections on the arms, in such a way that the jaw turns in these said projections. Adjacent to this portion, the jaw (28) has another portion (29) open at the top, which, by its outer edge, adapts to the recesses (26) in the arms. The jaw (28) is provided with transversal rims, not numbered, in order to reinforce its structure.

[0052] From the base of the portions (30), some lugs (31) protrude downwards, provided with projections which can be appreciated perfectly in Figure 12. The thickness of the arm (2) fits into the spaces or gaps (30), either when the recess (26) is present in the arm provided with recesses, conserving its thickness, or else when, like in the case shown in Figure 10, this arm has the rounded ledges or flanges (32).

[0053] In either of these two cases, Figure 12 illustrates how the arm (2) of the jack receives the jaw (28), with the projections (31) arranged adjacent to it, so that when the thickness of the arm (2) enters, these projections (31) are taken in either below the ledges (32) or in recesses cut into the arm (2). In this way, the jaw (28) can turn on the two wings on the arm (2) of the jack.

[0054] Besides the jaw itself, and in combination with it, the invention anticipates the addition of a spring (27), housed inside the jaw, as shown in Figure 13, and which, in turn, clasps the outer front of the arm (2) and its sides, round their exterior part. The said spring (27) is also shown in Figure 10.

[0055] The said spring (27) is received in the interior of the jaw (28) in such a way that it is controlled between the said jaw and the outer sides of the wings on the arm (2), passing through positions (27') and (27'') in the jaw, with a resulting effect on the end position (27''), which forces the jaw to move upwards, as shown in Figure 14, when the jaw is completely free as regards the lower edge of the vehicle body.

[0056] For that purpose, the spring (27) is controlled in the interior of the jaw (28), as illustrated in Figures 11, 12 and 13, with its end (27'') passing below the opening in order to achieve its perfect emplacement inside the jaw.

[0057] As stated previously, and as shown in Figure 14, the spring performs an action which is such that the jaw (28) becomes separated from the arm (2) when it is free of contact with the lower edge of the vehicle body, with the normal position for its being fitted to the said lower edge being shown here.

[0058] It is important to emphasize, once having described the nature and advantages of this invention, its non-restrictive character, inasmuch as changes in the shape, material or dimensions of its constituent parts will not in any way alter its essence, as long as they do not mean a substantial variation of the whole.

Claims

1. Jaw for vehicle jack, applicable to jacks of the type known as Y-jacks, with a support member or arm that rests on the ground by means of a foot at one of its ends, while the other end has an part to engage a threaded screw spindle operated by a winding handle, and the jack having another support member that pivots on the first; one and receives the end of the screw spindle, with one end being provided with a recess in order to receive a jaw in which the lower edge of the vehicle body becomes seated or engaged, characterized by the following:

- a part (8), generally cylindrical in shape, with a U-shaped transversal section provided with an upwardly open longitudinal recess (6), one of whose outer edges (7) is relatively narrow, whereas the other (10) is reinforced by projections (10) that increase its thickness,

- two transversal annular slots (15) in order to receive the thickness of the sides of the arm (2) of the jack, which are interrupted at their upper part by the outer edges (7, 10) mentioned, with these slots being situated close to the ends of the jaw,

- two lugs (12, 13), protruding from each side of the front ends of the cylindrical body, responsible for acting as a stop on the edges (23) of the other arm (1) of the jack when it is folded in order to position the jaw,

- an open central portion arranged between the areas of the annular slots (15) that connect the said end areas by means of a rib (21) on one side, a shaft (23) on the other side and a base (24), from which a flexible inclined rib (11) protrudes upwards and towards the longitudinal slot (6), with the rib (21) and the shaft (23) being at mid-height of the jaw and separated from each other by the theoretical prolongation of the said longitudinal slot (6).
   a U-shaped part (20) with arms of unequal lengths, that clasps the shaft (23) with the possibility of turning or rotating on it, with its shorter side (17) resting on the rib (11) protruding from the base, and its longer side (16) inclined upwards, wherein the two ends of the said U-shaped part (20) jut out towards the theoretical position of the of the longitudinal slot (6), with the shorter side (17) doing so more than the longer side (16) when the assembly is in the rest position,

- two ledges with a triangular cross-section (18, 19), one of which is on the interior of the longer arm of the U-shaped part (20) and the other on the exterior of the shorter arm, with these ledges being narrower in width than the width of the U-shaped part, wherein the ledge (19) on the shorter arm limits the turning of the U-shaped part on the rib (11), in one turning direction, whereas the other ledge (18) becomes housed in a central hollow or gap (22) in the shaft (23), thus limiting the turning of the part in the other direction,

- the shorter arm (17) of the U-shaped part (20), in the position when the jaw is not bearing a load juts out extensively towards the position of the longitudinal slot, to a greater extent than the longer arm (16), so that this latter allows the lower edge of the vehicle body to pass through and the former is actuated by this said edge in order to carry out the turning of the U-shaped part.

2. Jaw for vehicle jack, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the lower ends of the protruding lugs (12, 13), on making contact with the edges (25) of the other arm (1), situate the jaw in the correct position to receive the lower edge of the vehicle body.

3. Jaw for vehicle jack, in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that the position of the ledge (18) on the longer arm (16) of the U-shaped part (20) in the central hollow or gap (22) of the shaft (23) is carried out by its clicking into place, thus retaining the said U-shaped part and preventing its extraction.

4. Jaw for vehicle jack, applicable to jacks of the type known as Y-jacks, with a support member or arm that rests on the ground by means of a foot at one of its ends, while the other end has an part to engage a threaded screw spindle operated by a winding handle, and the jack having another support member that pivots on the first one and receives the end of the screw spindle, with one end being provided with a recess in order to receive a jaw in which the lower edge of the vehicle body becomes seated or engaged, characterized by the following:

- a longitudinal part (28) with two portions (30) which are separated and each equally distant from the centre of the part, which are downwardly open and from its circular interior, in which the rounded ledges (32) made on the arm (2) of the jack are seated, close to the recesses (26), and with another upwardly open longitudinal portion (29), which is seated in the recesses (26) by means of its outwardly convex curved exterior, responsible for receiving the lower edge of the vehicle body,

- two lugs (31), towards the centre, attached to the portions (30), which are provided with side projections directed towards the said portions in order to fit into the ledges (32),

- a spring (27), generally U-shaped, with its flat base which extends longitudinally in the interior of the jaw and against the frontal area of the arm (2) of the jack, with this spring having wings that become housed in the sides of the jaw and against the outer sides of the said arm (2),

- the sides of the spring (27) form a sinuous path, becoming housed in portions (27') attached to the portions (30) and on the exterior of these, and in other lower portions (27''), below the openings (29) to receive the lower edge of the vehicle body, formed adjacent to the outer walls of the jaw,

- the action of the spring (27) is carried out against the lower portion of the opening (29) that receives the lower edge of the vehicle body.

5. Jaw for vehicle jack, in accordance with claim 4, characterized in that the body of the element (28) is provided with transversal ribs, one central and the other two at the sides, closing the outer sides of the said body.

Drawing